204 couples wed on Valentine’s Day

PHUKET: More than 200 couples on Phuket were married on the most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day.

Karnjana Hongboonyanurak, the Registration Officer at the Phuket Muang District Office, told the Gazette that her office was the busiest on the island, with 142 couples, including five cross-cultural couples, registering their love.

“Some couples arrived at the office before it opened in attempts to be the first couple to marry on Valentine’s Day,” she said.

Couples who registered their marriage at the Phuket City office, K. Karnajana explained, received gifts such as a free voucher for dinner at Thai Naan restaurant or a one-night stay at a hotel. Other gifts included treatment for two at one of the many spas on the island.

“And no couples turned up to register a divorce,” K. Karnjana added.

The turnout of brides and grooms in Phuket City this year was down on the number last year, when 199 signed the big book, K. Karnjana said.

Uthai Tabtong, Chief Registration Officer at Thalang District Office, said, “We had 42 couples who registered their marriage, and nobody came to file for divorce.” There were no special gifts on offer, she added.

In Kathu, 20 couples exchanged vows. Suksan Siangaek, Chief Administrative Office of Kathu District Office, said that his office gave away five pairs of tickets for couples to visit Phuket FantaSea.

“We had 20 couples, including one couple from England, who decided to register their marriage on Valentine’s Day,” he said.

Although it was possible for people to register divorces at the Kathu office yesterday, none took the opportunity, he added.